Category Archives: Blog

On Memorial Day weekend, I gave a talk at the pasta dinner preceding the Vermont City Marathon in Burlington on the topic of “Why We Run.” I was initially asked to speak on the beginning of VCM, which is now 29 years old and which I helped start, and why it has flourished. But I felt that should be framed by why any one runs, period, whether it be a 5K or a marathon. So I entitled my talk “Why We Run, Why Run VCM.” I did a lot of thinking about the first part and came up with five reasons: We Choose to Participate We Challenge Ourselves We Make Friends Good Health Reasons Beyond Ourselves  PARTICIPATION Running is a choice we make. We’re not alone! Running USA’s survey indicated there were 17 million road race finishers (not unique racers – one can count multiple times) in 2015. Of those 45% were 5Ks, 12% half marathons, and only 3% (or 500,000 finishers) in marathons. Interestingly, 57% of finishers were women, up from 25% in 1990, when there were just 4.7 million finishers. Lots of reasons for this increase, including technologies allowing for net times/quick results, a proliferation of local races, … Continue reading →

I was cleared to run beginning May 1st – just short of 12 weeks post surgery. I had been planning for this re-entry for weeks and then it was here! I have now run four days, every other day, starting at 2 miles, then 2.5, then 3, and today 3.5 for a week’s total of 11 miles. Nothing fast or fancy but running nonetheless!   And all runs included running drills. To begin, I broke the two miles into half-mile segments, with about three minutes of walking, jogging, and stretching in between. Each day I increased the long segment half a mile. So today my final run was 2 miles. I’ll continue this approach for the next couple weeks until the total distance is a single run and I am up to about six miles. Then I’ll incorporate some faster pace and easy hills. By month end I look to be up to 20 miles a week. One step at a time! So, what have I learned and how might this help others coming back from a similar layoff? First, as much alternative exercise I have done, mainly fast walking, water running, and StairMaster, it was not running. And certain muscles … Continue reading →

I had decided a month ago to enter today’s BAA 5K. I had a number and it’s part of the Boston Marathon weekend celebration. It was nine weeks after rib surgery and I was not yet cleared to run. So I was prepared to walk it. I aimed for 45 minutes, a 14:20 pace. I had been mostly water running and StairMastering to maintain some aerobic fitness. A bit of walking – but no more than three miles at a crack. So two weeks before the race I went for a brisk six-mile walk. Averaged 14:53 and found the last mile really taxing. A 45-minute 5K was looking ominous. Then the week before the 5K I upped the tempo for 4 miles to a 14:00 pace. I started thinking 43 minutes might be in the cards. Two days later, I walked 5 miles with two one-mile intervals of 12:47 and 13:17, for the first time throwing in some light jogging along with walking.   Now I was thinking sub 40:00! Then two days before the race, I did two more mile splits with more jogging at 11:59 and 11:46. I was being cautious but testing the ribs. None of it hurt … Continue reading →

Recovering from an injury and/or surgery tests one’s patience. As runners, we’re eager to get back to running. We also tend to think we’re tougher and more resilient than most. And that our recovery should be way ahead of the curve. We count the days, maybe weeks, but certainly not months. At least this has been my mindset. The truth is we don’t know and can’t know how things will progress. Assuming we listen, our bodies tell us the real story as it plays out. It was eight weeks ago today I broke my ribs. It seems closer when I walk down the stairs and see the dent in the wall my suitcase made as the other side drove through my ribs.   I started PT after five weeks and of course felt what they gave me was elementary – I kept asking for harder exercises. After all, I’m a tough, resilient runner! But I learned they knew their stuff. I go weekly and each time they add new exercises I do daily. These often leave me a bit sore, which actually feels good. The symptoms have moderated considerably. The ambient pain is largely gone, though I trigger a reaction when … Continue reading →

Ed Whitlock died on March 12 at the age of 86.   In running circles Ed Whitlock was an icon, an enigma, and someone who defied the aging process. He set world records at various distances after turning 70. Five months before his death he ran a 3:56 marathon in Toronto. Physiological tests indicated the highest VO2 Max of anyone measured at his age and his muscle retention astounding. He was a rail at 110 pounds, carrying no extra baggage. I had dinner with Ed and Bill Dixon a few years back at the Stockadeathon. Ed was a pretty understated and unassuming guy. Had a twinkle in his eye and clearly enjoyed being around the races. He didn’t like to train and was known for his endless laps around a local cemetery. He didn’t listen to music – just ground it out. Maybe he experienced a runners high in the races – he certainly did not in training. Ed did nothing but run – no weights, stretching, or cross-training. Ed died from prostate cancer that had apparently spread to his bones. He didn’t say anything publically about it, which is why it caught most everyone by surprise. Surely Ed knew something was … Continue reading →

Overall, the recovery from surgery has seemed quite incremental. Little steps here and here. But during course of the past 32 days, there have been some key checkpoints: (1) getting off pain meds, (2) incorporating water running and StairMaster in addition to walking, and (3) sleeping through the night. It hasn’t been all-or-nothing with the pain meds, which to be clear were narcotics only during the first 10 days. Since then it’s been Tylenol and Advil. Lately after a full workout I may feel stiff and sore and it helps to take a couple pills. But during the normal workday, nothing is necessary. I’ve never been a pill popper and being free from it is, in a word, freeing. I started StairMaster a week ago and water running a few days later. I’m now up to 40 minutes for each, with small increases in time and intensity each time. I was very timid getting into the water the first time, concerned the belt would put pressure on the ribs and the arm movement jostle things. So I cinch the belt up above the ribs under my armpits and do abbreviated arm swings. Just walking was becoming boring and I knew … Continue reading →

I saw my surgeon, Dr. Dasilva, yesterday for a surgery follow-up, 19 days after the surgery and three weeks after the fall. He looked at new X-rays with me and noted “It’s all looking good!” A welcomed comment for sure.   The four plated ribs were perfectly aligned with the unplated ones tagging along. Exactly as it’s supposed to be! This was of course the news I wanted to hear. In spite of lingering low level pain, and sleeping difficulties, I was moving in the right direction. And my hopes rose that I would be able to start running in another two or three weeks. Right? Wrong! Dr. Dasilva proceeded to explain how the healing process works: it takes six weeks for basic bonding of the bones and then another two months for things to solidify. I could then expect to gain full strength six months post surgery. His advice was to see him in three months and not run before that. This was not what I wanted to hear! I actually flashed back to the fall, remembering how clear it was in that excruciating moment that it would be a while before I would run again. And so it was … Continue reading →

One misstep and down the stairs I went, landing on a suitcase I was carrying. Breaking eight ribs, four in two places with displacement. With the wind knocked out, I yelled for help. Neighbors came to my aid and called 911. First an EMT arrived then an ambulance, taking me to the ER at Brigham and Women’s in Boston. It was all a painful blur. After several hours in the ER, I was moved to the ICU, due my age and the severity of injuries. The next day, the head thoracic surgeon stopped by to discuss the options. He explained how X-rays showed roughly 15% of my lung capacity was lost due to the collapsed ribs, technically called flail chest. Suffice it to say, as a runner, this caught my attention! He described a fairly new surgical procedure, developed only in the past ten years, called “plating.”    This procedure is offered only in situations where ribs will not heal on their own, due to multiple breaks and/or displacement.   Prior to the development of plating, one had to remain in the hospital on a respirator relying on mechanical ventilation for several weeks to inflate the lungs; in hopes the ribs would … Continue reading →

Going through some papers, I came across this piece I wrote 21 years ago, about midway through my running career. I am not sure what I did with this and if anyone else ever read it, but it reminded me how critical a juncture this was. The injury was patellar tendinitis, reportedly the 5th most common running injury. I did not run for over three months. But upon returning, I did so progressively with a commitment to avoid this going forward. Thus began my consistent use and tracking of running equivalents, mostly water running and Stairmaster and by incorporating REQs an adherence to daily workouts. It also marked the start of taping my knees with Leukotape right below the kneecap to take pressure off the patella tendon. The physical therapist used this during rehab and I just kept doing it. I buy Leukotape in bulk and don’t leave home without it. I tried the Cho-Pat, but find tape works much better. Also at this time, I began a regimen of weight exercises for my legs and knees four to five times a week. Specifically for the knees I use the quad machine, but rather than isotonic (up and down) reps … Continue reading →

Tom Derderian, coach of the Greater Boston Track Club and fellow 60+ runner with a 2:19 marathon PR, summed it up pretty well when he said after a USATF-New England Grand Prix race last year, “I know what to do, I just can’t do it” Granted, Tom’s standards are high. However reconciling memories of past times with current reality proves a challenge as we age. When Father (or Mother) Time starts visiting varies significantly among runners. Debilitating injuries interfere with our mechanics. Maladies such as knee arthritis or worn cartilage make sustained training problematic. And the longer we have run, the more likely overall wear and tear. There are as many training plans and life circumstances as there are runners. But the questions remain: Why do we slow down? And what can we do to delay the onset? To answer the first question, it’s critical to probe what is really going on in our bodies as we age. First, muscle strength is critical to performance. And assuming no change in training regimen other than aging, a study of active men aged 15 to 83 by Taylor Lexell showed both a change from Type II (fast twitch) to Type I muscle … Continue reading →